


Seconds

by Lulaypp



Series: Whumptober 2020 [16]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Blood, Can be seen as kinda bittersweet (heavy on the bitter), Gen, Off-screen Character Death, Referenced Torture, Sad Ending, Whump, Whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27260287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lulaypp/pseuds/Lulaypp
Summary: Every beep marks a second.Another second passed since he has been left alone.Another second closer to his demise.
Relationships: Bruce Wayne & Jason Todd
Series: Whumptober 2020 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949758
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Seconds

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober 2020 Day 31 - Left For Dead
> 
> This is my favourite story I have written for Whumptober (Maybe of all time? Although that is debatable) and there are just so many things love about it!!
> 
> Aside from being my last fic for this year's Whumptober, it would also be the last thing I would be posting for a while (I may/may not post short stupid writings on my Tumblr) as I would have to direct my focus on to other things in this world.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this and thanks for reading! To those who had been with me for the whole month, even if I don't post on all days, Thank you for sticking with my fancy, wierd, pained-filled writing. I appreciate it! <3 Enjoy and have a great day!
> 
> (Fun fact, the title is a bit of an unintentional pun)

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The sound was constant. 

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Never missing a beat. Never wavering.

_Beep_. 

Every beep marks a second. 

_Beep._

Another second passed since he has been left alone. 

_Beep._

Another second closer to his demise. 

Unlike the steady beeping, Jason stutters with every wheezing breath, his heart erratic and shallow. He couldn't keep himself upright, the cuffs holding his wrist around the back of the chair was the only reason why he hasn’t fallen to the floor. There was blood gathering in his mouth, threatening to drown him despite him trying to swallow it back down. The tape bound around his head stopped it from flowing out while making it harder to breathe. 

A week of suffering various beating, stabbing, cutting and pure torture at the hands of his darkest fear had left him unable to get out. To escape from the chair, the bomb, the warehouse, the inevitable death. Even if the cuffs are not wired to trigger the bomb when unlocked, what is left of his fingers are broken, mangled. He has no chance of getting out by himself. 

Chances of his family finding him might not be low, but even if they do get to him in time, the bomb would blow if they tried to save him, killing them as well. He doesn't want them to die. 

He swallowed, forcing blood down his throat, leaving behind a sharp, metallic sting. A shaky breath cracked into a broken sob as fresh tears pooled in his eyes. Everything just _hurts so_ _much;_ his entire body is a fire of agony. Broken bones, darkening bruises and open wounds littering his entire form, radiating waves upon waves of pure torture. 

Moving hurts. Keeping still hurts. Everything hurts. 

He clenched his eyes shut. He just wants it to end. Wants it to all be over with. Joker had set the bomb for fifteen agonising minutes, knowing full well that Jason could do nothing within the large time frame. 

He hardly is ever afraid of death. But that doesn't mean he wants to die. Again. So soon. Especially not like this. Broken, battered, left with a ticking bomb in a warehouse, where he was forced to relieve his greatest nightmare. 

His breath hitched as he broke down into shaking sobs. He doesn't want to die. Not like this. But he doesn't want any of his family to get killed trying to save him either. 

An echoing slam of a door made him flinch, painfully aggravating too many injuries. His heart rate spiked as he heard quick footsteps heading his way. Has Joker come back? Has he decided that it would be better, _funnier_ to not kill a bird like he had died before? And instead pull him through a new assortment of pain and hurt? 

A hand brushed his mangled shoulder as Jason whimpered, waiting. For a blow, for a giggle, for anything that would add to his pain and fear. 

But it never came. There was instead a soft, familiar voice and gentle fingers brushing his hair. 

"Jay. It's alright. I got you." Bruce. 

No. 

No no no nononono 

Bruce cannot be here. He _can't_. 

Jason forced his eyes open and looked up into the lenses of Batman's cowl, pleading the man, his father to leave. To get away. 

But Batman instead moved his fingers down, peeling the tape off Jason’s mouth. Blood immediately flowed out, dripping down from his lips as he coughed and gasped. He felt Bruce moving behind him. 

No. "No no. Can't be.... here," Jason managed to gasp out between breaths. 

"Shh... It's okay, Jason." 

It took an immense amount of energy for Jason to shake his head and turn to Bruce. "No. You don't... you don't get it, Bruce. Stop. You... can't... stay. Bomb." 

"I know. I know. And I'll get it off in-" 

"Bruce. You need to leave," Jason pleaded, his voice just above whisper level. "Please. You'll... you'll die." He felt Bruce's gloved fingers on his wrist and panic seized him. "Bruce, don't. Please, just go. It's... it's gonna blow if you do 'nything. Just _leave_ me." 

"No, I won't leave you, Jason," Bruce firmly replied. "Not again." He rounded the chair to face Jason, fingers brushing his hair. 

Desperation fuels Jason with energy. "Dad, you don't _get_ it. You don't- You'll- I don't want you to die, Bruce. Just _please, leave_." 

Bruce pulled back his cowl and looked down at his son. "I would not let you die, Jay. Okay?" 

Jason shook his head. "You... you can't die. You can't save... me. We'll both die." 

"I won't-" 

"You can't leave everyone else. What would happen to Dami? To Tim? To Cass? To Dick? They've lost you once, Bruce." 

"I've lost you too, Jay. And I don't want to lose you again." 

Jason sucked in a breath. "You have to. I can't- I can't be saved. Joker wired everything to make sure I won't get out of here alive." 

"But-" 

"Everyone else needs you more, Bruce. More than I do." _More than you need me._ "The family still needs you. They don't need to deal with two losses at the same time." 

Bruce stared at him for a moment before glancing back at the bomb. Jason knows that time is running out. It has to be close to fifteen minutes now. Fear and grief laced Bruce's eyes as he turned back to him. "I don't want to leave you, Jay." Bruce finally spoke up, his voice wavering slightly as he closed their distance and wrapped Jason in an embrace. 

Jason buried his face into his father's neck, relishing the moment. His only regret is that he cannot return the hug. "I know, Dad. I... I don't want you to either. But..." 

Bruce sighed, tightening the hug as his hand carded through Jason's blood matted hair. He softly kissed the boy's forehead. "I love you, son. Always," his soft words bleeding with pain, fondness, care, pride and millions of unsaid apologies. 

Jason burrowed deeper. "I love you too, dad," he whispers, hoping to convey all of his emotions. “'M sorry. For everything." For fighting with Bruce, for nearly killing his family, for going against Batman's rules. For being such a disappointment. 

Bruce finally pulled back, his thumb brushing away the tears streaming down his son's cheek. 

"And don’t bring me back. I... don’t want to-” _Die again? Live again?_ He sucked in a shaky breath. _"_ Try to not fall too deep into grief okay, dad. Make sure no one does. And tell them... tell my siblings that..." He's sorry. He loves them. Despite all his past actions and threats. 

"I will, Jaylad." 

Bruce looked down at his son once more, before turning and running out of the warehouse, pulling his cowl back on. 

Jason watched his father leave, cape billowing behind him. Bruce came for him. Was _willing_ to _die_ trying to save him. 

_BeepBeepBeep_

A small, bittersweet smile played at his lips as the beeping increased in frequency. 

_BeepBeepBeep_

He closed his eyes. 

_BeepBeepBeep_

And took one final breath. 


End file.
